London
1,572 km²
San Diego
964 km²
UK
United States
Area Comparison
London is 1.6x larger than San Diego
Population Comparison
London has 6.5x more people than San Diego
Yes — London is 1.6x larger than San Diego by area. London spans 1,572 km² (607 mi²) while San Diego covers 964 km² (372 mi²) — a difference of 608 km².
To put London's size in perspective, its area of 1,572 km² is about 1.4x smaller than Tokyo (city proper). Meanwhile, San Diego at 964 km² is roughly the same size as Berlin.
In more relatable units, London's 1,572 km² is about 220,000 American football fields, 27 times the area of Manhattan, or 15 times the area of Paris. San Diego, by comparison, equals about 135,000 American football fields, 16 times the area of Manhattan, or 9 times the area of Paris.
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of 9.1 million people in 2024. Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Western Europe, with a population of 15.1 million. London stands on the River Thames in southeast England, at the head of a 50-mile (80 km) tidal estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a major settlement for nearly 2,000 years.
Known as "The Big Smoke", London covers 1,572 km² with a population of 9.0 million. The city was established in 43. London is known for Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the London Underground.
London has been a major settlement for nearly 2,000 years, tracing its roots back to Roman times around 47 AD.
San Diego is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. It is the eighth-most populous city in the U.S. and second-most populous city in California with a population of over 1.4 million, while the San Diego metropolitan area with over 3.3 million residents is the 18th-largest metropolitan area in the country. San Diego is the county seat of San Diego County.
Often called "America's Finest City", San Diego has an area of 964 km² and is home to 1.4 million people. The city dates back to 1769. Visitors come for San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park, Coronado Beach, and much more.
San Diego sits directly on the Mexico-United States border, making it California's southwesternmost major city.
London has a population density of 5,712 people per km² — a densely populated city. San Diego, with 1,442 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. London is dramatically more crowded, with 4.0x the population density.
Density Gap
London is 4.0x more densely populated
History
London is ~1,726 years older
London covers 1,572 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Bangkok (1,569 km²), Bogotá (1,578 km²), São Paulo (1,521 km²), Johannesburg (1,644 km²), or Mexico City (1,485 km²).
San Diego covers 964 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Abu Dhabi (972 km²), Dallas (997 km²), Berlin (892 km²), Santiago (838 km²), or Hong Kong (1,114 km²).
The straight-line distance from London to San Diego is 8,822 km (5,482 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~10h 53m.
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